Mar 18, 2010

Nylon Goes Under the Hood

When you think of car components in the engine bay, you typically think of robust metals.

They seem most able to withstand the significant heat in the under-hood environment, but now, DuPont has launched a new family of nylon products called Zytel PLUS, which can significantly extend the performance life of automotive under-the-hood components, according to the company. The good news is that replacing metals with high-performance plastics will save weight and improve fuel economy.

“Performance demands in the automotive industry continue to increase as automakers strive to deliver higher performance and improved fuel efficiency, resulting in smaller, hotter-running engines,” said Diane H. Gulyas, president, DuPont Performance Polymers. “With the launch of Zytel PLUS, DuPont is delivering market-driven innovation that enables plastic components to reliably perform twice as long in that environment, reducing weight and supporting the push for sustainable mobility.”

In pre-launch trials, the new nylon improved heat performance by 30 C to 40 C (54 F to 72 F) and maintained performance levels much longer than traditional nylons. The new product family is the result of several research and development breakthroughs. The product’s long-term performance under exposure to heat and chemicals is a result of the company’s Shield technology, which combines several innovations, including a new polymer backbone, polymer modifications and proprietary additives that enhance many performance characteristics.

Since removing weight is a key to improving fuel economy, the new nylons should help automakers build more fuel-efficient vehicles, lessening our reliance on foreign oil.